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John Arcilla on unfriending and canceling over politics: ‘Nalulungkot ako’

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Actor John Arcilla, best known for his portrayal of Heneral Luna, has never held back when it comes to his principles – and that includes what he thinks of Filipinos cutting ties with one another over politics.Speaking exclusively to PUSH ABS-CBN at the Star Magic Spotlight press conference on Thursday, July 23, John said it saddens him that some people have chosen to unfriend those who do not share their political beliefs.His remarks come amid the online backlash against Joshua Garcia, who was tagged as a DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporter) after he reposted a TikTok clip from the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, which some took as a sign of support for her. He also allegedly followed the Vice President on Instagram at one point. It can be recalled that the vice president’s father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, was in office when ABS-CBN – then the country’s biggest broadcast network – was forced off the air after Congress denied its franchise renewal in 2020.John, who backed then Vice President Leni Robredo in the 2022 presidential race, said Filipinos should be uniting and calling out government officials instead of turning on each other.“Nalulungkot ako kasi tayong mga mamamayan dapat ang magkakakampi. Tayong mga mamamayan ang dapat nagkakaisa,” he said.The actor stressed that officials in government are, in the end, employees of the tax-paying public.“Kasi ’yung mga opisyal, empleyado lang natin sila. Tayo ang mga boss because tayo ang nagfa-fund ng gobyerno. Tayong mamamayan. Bakit tayo ang nagiging watak-watak? Kailangan natin, tayo ’yung magkaisa at magkakampi,” he said.John admitted he could easily keep quiet, given how comfortable his own life has become, but said he chooses not to because he wants every peso of hard-earned tax money to reach the people it is meant for.“Sabihin natin doon sa mga empleyado natin, empleyado lang natin ang mga opisyal. Hindi sila dapat magyabang sa atin. Dapat sila ang sumusunod sa gusto nating lahat,” he said.“At kung tayo ay watak-watak, sila ang ginagawa nating basehan ng ating buhay. Mali ’yon, kasi maganda ang buhay nila,” he added.“If I speak for myself, maayos ang buhay ko. Puwede namang wala akong pakialam. Pero gusto ko kasi ’yung binabayad naming tax, mapunta sa mamamayan, mapunta sa inyo. At ’pag alam namin na hindi na pupunta sa inyo, siyempre magsasabi kami ng mga taong tingin namin ay mapupunta sa mamamayan, o mapupunta sa inyo ’yung aming binabayad na tax,” he said.What saddens him even more, he said, is that politicians go on enjoying comfortable lives while ordinary Filipinos are left arguing among themselves.“Nalulungkot ako na dumating sa point na ganoon. Dapat mas nagkakaintindihan ang mamamayan, hindi nag-aaway at hindi nagdi-divide. Kasi ang nangyayari, tayo ang nag-aaway-away, tayo ang nagdi-divide. Samantalang kung silang lahat ang gumagawa ng kalokohan doon, bakit tayo ang kailangang kumampi-kampi sa kanila? Hindi. Lahat silang mayroong issues, sila dapat ang ating pagsabihan,” he said.On the culture of canceling, John said Filipinos would be better off reaching out to one another – and that if anyone deserves to be replaced, it should be the officials in power, not the friends beside them.“Well, mas gusto ko sanang mag-reach out tayo sa isa’t isa kaysa sa mag-cancelan, lalo na kung ang pag-cancel natin sa isa’t isa ay dahil sa kabalintunaan ng mga tao sa taas. Mali ’yon. Dapat sila ang kina-cancel natin, o sila ang pinapalitan natin. Hindi ’yung tayo ang agrabyado, tapos tayo pa ang nag-aaway-away,” he said.

John Arcilla weighed in on the culture of unfriending and canceling over politics.

John Arcilla weighed in on the culture of unfriending and canceling over politics.

John Arcilla on unfriending and canceling over politics: ‘Nalulungkot ako’

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John Arcilla on unfriending and canceling over politics: ‘Nalulungkot ako’

Push Team,

Paolo Lim

Published July 26, 2026 09:02 AM PHT

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